Without a Plan
by chocolate rules333
Summary: Annabeth discovers Nico's secret and she isn't sure what to do about it. Normally, she would make a plan, but constructing a plan to defeat any monster is a million times easier then figuring out how to fix a person.


**This is an introspective piece that has been sitting on my computer for a while. I really wanted to explore how Annabeth would deal with Nico's sexuality. I really don't think she'd act like a jealous jerk like some people seem to. And I feel like Nico really has some stuff to work through before he can have a love interest of any sort. **

Annabeth liked to tell herself she was perceptive. As a daughter of Athena, she prided herself in noticing the little details others, mostly her idiotic boyfriend, completely missed. However, this pride was her greatest weakness. And sometimes it blinded her from noticing the important things about people that really matter.

She'd never paid all that much attention to Nico di Angelo. She hardly met him before being dragged off by a monster and forced to hold up the sky, so you really can't blame her for not spending a lot of time thinking about him. She considered him creepy and strange, but didn't really have anything against him. She felt bad for him, but every demigod comes with a heap of heavy baggage and problems, and if she went around pitying every person in camp halfblood who'd lost a loved one she wouldn't have time to focus on more important things, like saving the world.

After the war, she might have spent more time getting to know him, because he had a cabin now, and he wasn't such a bad kid. He had definitely saved their butts during the war. However, despite his new Hades cabin Nico spent suspiciously little time around them. And whenever Nico was around, he acted strangely. At first, Annabeth wrote it off as normal child of Hades behavior, but eventually she began to suspect something was up. And of course, she came to the natural conclusion the boy had developed some sort of puppy-dog crush on her. It never even occurred to her she might have been wrong until months later.

She was seated eating dinner with Jason and Leo in the dining area of the Argo II, staring wistfully at the images of Camp Halfblood. Frank was off scouting ahead of them in eagle form and Percy and Hazel were getting some much needed sleep.

Leo, being his normal Leo self, was trying to cheer people up with his "clever witty banter". Honestly, Annabeth found him more annoying than endearing most of the time and if he made one more blonde joke, she swore she'd throw him overboard and order Percy to drown him. The thought alone made her smirk and she glowered at Leo over his shoulder.

She'd been ignoring the two boys' banter as best she could because she was already stressed and could feel a migraine coming on, and she really didn't need to listen to any of Leo's idiocy. She knew Leo meant well, but sometimes she wondered if he realized the fate of the entire world rested on them. Hera sure is a brilliant queen, she mused, forcing a group of children to save the world… again. However, she really couldn't ignore her companions anymore when Leo snorted obnoxiously and guffawed.

"Seriously dude, Octavian has a pink purse?"

Jason nodded eagerly and even Annabeth can't help but smile at that. "And you should hear the sound he makes if someone dares to mess with his stuffed animal collection!"

Leo threw his head back, laughing. "Man, he's such a fairy."

Jason stopped laughing immediately, his face suddenly serious, but Leo was too entertained to notice. "He's so fricking gay it isn't even-"

"Stop, Leo. Shut up!" Jason snapped, his tone frighteningly stern. Leo's mouth dropped open in confusion.

"What, man, I didn't mean…."

"Don't joke about that. It isn't funny," Jason interrupted, glaring down at Leo. The air of authority in his voice surprised even Annabeth. Leo shrank backward.

"Yeah, okay, sorry."

Jason looked away, an unreadable expression on his face. After a few seconds, he got up and stormed from the room, not sparing his friend a second glance. Leo watched him go, mouth half-open, and gave Annabeth a bewildered look. Annabeth scowled at him and shrugged her shoulders, but even she was surprised by Jason's uncharacteristic reaction. A faint idea wormed its way into her mind, but she certainly wouldn't mention it to Leo.

"Jason," Annabeth called the next day, when she found the son of Jupiter seated alone near the mast of the Argo II.

He gave her a questioning glance. "Something wrong?"  
>"Did something happen with Nico when Percy and I were in Tartarus?"<p>

Jason's mouth opened and closed. "I-I'm not sure I should…"

"What god did you meet?" Annabeth asked, her voice stern, indicating she would demand an answer.

"Cupid…" Jason responded softly.

"Nico never was in love with me, was he?"

Jason grimaced and gazed out over the horizon, refusing to meet her eyes, but it was all the answer she needed. She sighed and left him there, unsure what to think.

...

It wasn't until after the war was over that Annabeth finally saw Nico di Angelo again. He was hunched in the corner of the dining pavillion staring at the table, having long since abandoned Hazel's side to sulk on his own. It took nearly an hour of debating before Annabeth finally gained the nerve to go over and talk to him.

Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe she was wrong about her hunch. But she felt Nico needed her to say something.

"Hey," Annabeth greeted softly, offering the younger boy an uncertain smile.

Nico jumped and tried to conceal his surprise, not even bothering to look up at her. "Hey," he grumbled back.

"You and Reyna did well getting the Parthenos back. Thank you," Annabeth started, trying to keep her tone cheery. Nico finally glanced up at her. The dark circles under his eyes were alarming and Annabeth wished that she couldn't remember the healthy little boy he used to be.

"Yeah, well, you guys saved the world, so woop-dee-doo," he replied dryly. He slumped back down, as if expecting her to leave and Annabeth had half a mind to do just that. After all, it was really none of her business. She couldn't force Nico to talk or come to terms with himself, and she was afraid if she said anything it might make things worse. But she was a daughter of Athena, and when she made a plan she had to follow it through. Chickening out was for cowards.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something," she said softly. Nico stiffened. "Jason… he seems to think you're going to run away."  
>Nico's eyes widened, but he didn't respond.<p>

"I… I just wanted to tell you…" Annabeth stuttered, fumbling for words, "You do belong here. You're one of us. We all have problems and I'm sorry if I haven't been a good friend or supportive, but I just wanted you to know I'm here," she finished lamely.

Nico clenched his fists. "He told you," he whispered.

Annabeth shook her head, desperately trying to calm him down before he lashed out. "No… He didn't. I just..."

Nico was trembling now. "Stupid daughter of Athena! Why won't you just mind your own flipping business?" he hissed. When she caught his eyes they were pathetically empty and brimming with tears.

Annabeth crossed her arms and retreated. "Fine, I'm sorry. I just thought you should know."

Nico grunted and got up, shoving past her and storming from the pavillion, leaving Annabeth to contemplate if she had made a good decision after all. When Percy found her a few minutes later and asked what all that was about she smiled and mumbled some stupid excuse. She knew Percy could read her well enough by now to know she wasn't being entirely truthful, but thankfully he let the issue drop.

...

Three months later, Annabeth was just leaving Mount Olympus, stepping outside into the crisp fall air and the crowd of people on the streets of New York City right as everyone left work. The past few months passed by in a blur. She and Percy had spent every moment together possible. Sometimes when she shut her eyes she still felt like she was inside the debilitating walls of the Tartarus, or even could smell the terrifying stench of death. But Percy was there for her when she felt like the entire world might crumble, and they were getting better.

She hadn't seen or even heard from Nico di Angelo since the night she confronted him, and she was really beginning to regret that decision. Hazel said he had visited once or twice briefly, but other than those few times he'd stayed in the shadows. Annabeth knew Nico was going through some serious stuff only he could work out, but she was afraid that what she'd said to him had driven him away instead of making him feel better. No one could fix all the problems Nico di Angelo was dealing with, but Nico wouldn't get anywhere hiding on his own. It bugged Annabeth because she didn't know what to do about it. For most problems, she could make a plan, but fighting a monster is a million times easier then fixing a broken person.

When she first noticed him standing on the corner, shivering in his dirty aviator jacket she had to do a double take. Nico di Angelo was the last person she really expected to see standing alone and knocking into pedestrians during late afternoon rush hour in New York City. It couldn't have been some kind of coincidence.

She was supposed to meet Percy for a movie and dinner in twenty minutes. Nico met her eyes across the street, his expression vulnerable and empty. Percy could wait.

Annabeth nearly got hit by a taxi as she ran across the busy road, but she ignored the irritated honking and dashed to meet the younger boy. He visibly flinched back when he realized she had noticed him, but he didn't run, which Annabeth decided had to be a good sign.

She stopped about a foot in front of him, not really caring when an older man bumped into her and cursed loudly in anger. Nico stared down, his overgroan bangs obscuring his eyes.

"Hey," Annabeth greeted awkwardly, hoping he could hear her over the noise of the streets.

Nico didn't respond at first, but after a moment of reluctance he looked up at her and nodded. He'd gained a little weight since she'd last saw him, but he still was pasty, and sickly white. Annabeth had the overwhelming urge to hug him, but held herself back.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" She kicked herself after the words left her mouth, her voice was an octave too high and she was visibly uncomfortable. She tried her best to offer the son of Hades a smile, but it was hardly convincing.

"Uh… I mean… I…" Nico mumbled. "You probably have some place to be."

Annabeth shook her head. "No! I'm totally free. And you look like you could use some food," she lied. Percy would understand. She'd make it up to him by baking him cookies or something, it's not as if he hadn't totally forgotten one of their dates before.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" Annabeth asked after the waiter brought their food. Annabeth had half dragged him to an old burger joint that had cheap, but pretty good burgers a few blocks from Percy's apartment. Nico had only ordered a small burger and some fries, which unnerved her because he did look like he'd hardly eaten in months.

"Hm… yeah." Nico murmured in reply.

Annabeth stared at him awkwardly as he pushed the fries around his plate. Taking Nico out to eat had sounded like a great idea, but now she really didn't know how to broach any subjects. Obviously, Nico had wanted to find her. You don't just consequently run into people in New York City. She wondered what had brought him to search her out. It must have taken a lot. However, now he seemed too reserved to even look at her. She knew if they were going to accomplish anything, she'd have to initiate it.

"I'm sorry about confronting you earlier this summer," she apologized. "That probably crossed a line."  
>Nico's eyes widened minutely, his knuckles turning white while he clutched the table. Annabeth wondered if she'd managed to say the wrong thing and screw everything up again. "You didn't do anything wrong," Nico grumbled finally.<p>

Annabeth wasn't sure what to say to that, so she sat quietly, waiting for Nico to further explain himself, but the boy said nothing.

"Have you been feeling okay?" Annabeth asked finally. "After... Tartarus, I mean."

Nico shrugged. "I guess. Still get lots of nightmares."

Annabeth nodded in understanding. "Me too," she replied. The fact that Percy was always there to comfort Annabeth when she woke up screaming while Nico remained alone went unsaid between them.

Nico nodded wordlessly. "I-I wanted to ask you." He stopped and took a deep breath, as if trying to pick his words carefully. "Did you, back at the pavillion…. did you mean you… you're not mad?" His lip trembled as the words stumbled out of his mouth. He looked so vulnerable Annabeth couldn't stop herself from reaching her hand across the table to clutch his. Annabeth wondered how long Nico had been thinking about this, fearing her attacking him in anger only for his feelings.

"Yeah," she replied without hesitation. "Yes, Nico, why would I be mad?" She smiled at him while he stared at the table, looking terrified but not pulling his hand from her grasp. "I'm sorry if I did anything to make you think I'd be upset."

Nico hiccuped and Annabeth clutched his hand harder. "I don't care, Nico. Nobody will. And if they do, we'll kill them."

Nico sniffled. "Jason said something like that."

Annabeth smirked. "I'd kill him if he said anything else."

Nico snorted. "You… you don't think Percy…?" Nico voiced softly. Annabeth could sense all the insecurity in his voice. It broke her heart.

"Percy will understand…" Annabeth replied softly, rubbing Nico's knuckle. "If he doesn't, I'd break up with him."

Nico's breath hitched and he eyed her skeptically.

"If he did that then obviously I don't know him as well as I think I do," Annabeth explained, dead serious.

Nico still looked uncomfortable, but he met her eyes across the table. "I'm sorry that I used to sort of hate you," he mumbled, blushing slightly.

"Hey, no hard feelings," she laughed, pulling her hand away. "You should come back to camp sometime."

Nico shrugged. "Maybe." He bit his lip anxiously. "You never… told Percy about this, right?"

Annabeth shook her head. "No. And luckily he's about the densest person I know so he'd never figure it out unless you wanted him to."

Nico half smiled. "True… what an idiot…" His smile was amazingly innocent. She wished he'd use it more.

"Want to come back to Percy's apartment? We were going to watch a movie tonight. He's probably worried because I sort of ditched him," Annabeth admitted.

"I thought you said you weren't busy…"

Annabeth shrugged. "Daughters of Athena are pretty good liars."

He rolled his eyes. "I should go. I'll go see Hazel," he said, ignoring her offer. Annabeth didn't push him. She wasn't going to make him be around Percy if he didn't want to be.

"Alright. But Nico, feel free to come drop by whenever you want, okay? Please don't disappear again," she added.

Nico stared out the window as people walked by, his eyes still a little red-rimmed. "Okay," he replied finally. "Thanks."

Annabeth nodded and offered him a smile. "Any time."

The son of Hades gave her one final nod before disappearing into the shadows right there in the restaurant.

The guilty pit that had been sitting in the bottom of Annabeth's stomach for the past three months relaxed a little. Nico di Angelo wasn't better. He hadn't come to terms with himself, and he still had a long way to go before he looked remotely healthy. But maybe, whatever that had just been was a step in the right direction. She could only hope.

**Ahhh, I just really wanted some brother/sister Nico/Annabeth. I love Nico's friendly relationships with all the girls. Like, in my mind they're kind of his emotional support group. I hope this was okay. I didn't love the end, but I had to wrap it up somehow. Maybe soon I'll finish my Nico and Reyna bromance story. Have a good day! Review if you have time.**


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